Ankylosaurus
Ankylosaurus is a genus of ankylosaurid dinosaur. Fossils of Ankylosaurus have been found in geological formations dating to the very end of the Cretaceous Period, between about 68–66 million years ago, in western North America, making it among the last of the non-avian dinosaurs. Information Named by Barnum Brown in 1908, the only species classified in the genus is A. magniventris. The genus name means "fused lizard" and the specific name means "great belly". A handful of specimens have been excavated to date, but a complete skeleton has not been discovered. Though other members of Ankylosauria are represented by more extensive fossil material, Ankylosaurus is often considered the archetypal member of its group. Ankylosaurus had to eat a huge amount of low-lying plant material to sustain itself so its gut must have been very large. It probably had a fermentation compartment to aid in the digestion of the tough plant material, producing prodigious amounts of gas. The armor of Ankylosaurus was made of huge knobs and plates of bone, known as osteoderms or scutes, embedded in the skin. Osteoderms are also found in the skin of crocodiles, armadillos and some lizards. The bone may have been covered by a tough, horny layer of keratin. These osteoderms ranged in size, from wide, flat plates to small, round nodules. The plates were lined up in regular horizontal rows down the animal's neck, back, and hips, with the many smaller nodules protecting the areas between the large plates. Smaller plates may have been on the limbs and tail. Compared to the slightly more ancient ankylosaurid Euoplocephalus, the plates of Ankylosaurus were smooth in texture, without the high keels found on the armor of the coexisting nodosaurid Edmontonia. A row of flat, triangular spikes may have stuck out sideways along each side of the tail. Tough, rounded scales protected the top of the skull, while four horns were behind the eyes and the ends of the mouth. The Ankylosaurus did not just have armored plates and bony knobs to protect it, however, and one of the other most recognized aspects of this heavily armored herbivore is its large club-like tail. The Ankylosaurus tail was certainly not as flexible as some other dinosaur tails due to the last few vertebrae being fused with large bony protrusions which form the well known club tail shape. In order to support such a heavy club at the end of its tail though, the Ankylosaurus’ last seven tail vertebrae were interlocked and formed a stiff rod which was able to support such large bony protuberances. It is believed, from the analysis of fossilized Ankylosaurus tails that their clubs were most likely used as defensive weapons. The Ankylosaurus is thought to have been able to swing its large club tail by utilizing large tendons which connected the last interlocking vertebrae on the tail. By swinging its club tail with such force the Ankylosaurus would have been able to inflict extreme damage on any potential predator. A study conducted in 2009 showed that the huge tail and the bony knobs on the end of the tail could easily have broken bones in most predators of the Ankylosaurus ''and if lucky enough, they could kill its attacker. At one time paleontologists also believed that the bony round tail of the ''Ankylosaurus served to detract from its head by tricking predators in to believing that the smaller tail knob was in fact the head of the Ankylosaurus. This theory is not so widely accepted anymore and it is believed by most that the club tail of the Ankylosaurus was specifically used as a defensive weapon. While adults are rarely bothered by predators other than Tyrannosaurus, young ankylosaurs are vulnerable to many Hell Creek predators due to their still forming armor which would be soft and easy to pierce, and must either hide from predators or seek shelter in the company of more intimidating targets for protection. In-Game Ankylosaurus will be in the early access of Prehistoric Kingdom. Gallery Ankylosaurus_all_skins.jpg f5a060d35773a00af25dbb32bb6924df.png|The ontogeny of Ankylosaurus Ankylosaurus_01_Preview.png|Ossified Ankylosaurus_02_Preview.png|Mossy Ankylosaurus_03_Preview.png|Reticulated o_1dohffm641ifhhmg1mt1hqvqsa7.jpg Category:Dinosaurs Category:Herbivore Category:Ankylosaurs